Humanities & Social Sciences
Over 2,000 Attend Makerere’s Dialogue on Traditional Spirituality, Herbal Medicine, Witchcraft and Questions of Truth
Kampala | Makerere University 29th April 2025
In one of the most intellectually provocative events in recent memory, over 2,000 participants—online and in person gathered at Makerere University on Tuesday for a historic public dialogue titled “Traditional Spirituality, Herbal Medicine, Witchcraft and Questions of Truth.” The forum, hosted by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), drew academics, students, researchers, spiritual practitioners, and members of the public to explore issues often considered taboo in formal education.
By 2:00 pm, the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology’s Conference Hall was filled beyond capacity, forcing latecomers to seek alternative venues or follow the conversation through livestreams. Zoom was capped at 500 users before the official start, while over 1,000 more followed via YouTube. The dialogue extended into the evening, with audiences riveted for more than five hours.
Clash of Paradigms: Philosophy Meets Spiritual Practice
At the heart of the event were two divergent but deeply respected voices: Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, philosopher, ethicist, and renowned cartoonist, and Dr. Yahaya Hills Kagali Sekagya, a traditional spiritualist, herbalist, and trained dental surgeon with a PhD in Public Health. Sekagya also studied Law.
Decolonizing Knowledge and Defending Indigenous Science
Dr. Sekagya, Director of PROMETRA Uganda and a global voice in traditional medicine, provided a nuanced defense of African spirituality and indigenous healing practices. Moving fluently between biomedical terminology and metaphysical concepts, he highlighted the depth and legitimacy of knowledge embedded in African cosmologies.
Although often judged by his appearance—he wore a spiritual robe during the event—his academic and medical credentials challenged stereotypes about traditional healers. Many who initially dismissed Sekagya as a “witch” based solely on his attire, were shocked upon hearing of his scientific training.
A Dialogue That Defied Boundaries
Their dialogue dissected the boundaries between indigenous healing systems, spiritual worldviews, modern science, and Western rationalism. The discussion traversed numerous academic and epistemological fields—philosophy, sociology, engineering, religion, psychology, and medicine—emphasizing that complex issues such as truth and healing cannot be understood through isolated disciplines. Both speakers called for an integrative approach to knowledge that includes the arts, humanities, and traditional sciences alongside STEM.
The key take away was that, “Knowledge is not confined to university departments. We need philosophy to understand medicine, and we need spirituality to understand psychology. The human experience is too complex for a single lens.”
Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo: “The More You Know, the More Knowledge Humbles You”
Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo delivered a powerful address on the necessity of openness, intellectual humility, and epistemic justice . He was gave the motivation behind hosting the public dialogue interrogating African spirituality, herbal medicine, and the boundaries of science.
Dr. Ssentongo opened with a moment of synchronicity involving the name “Augustine,” moving into a parable about Saint Augustine and the mystery of divine knowledge. He used this story to underline a key point: that human understanding is always partial, and that true wisdom begins with acknowledging how little we truly know.
“We always want to imagine that we know the world so well,” he said. “But we fail to acknowledge that the world is so complex. There are more things than we can ever know.”
Drawing from Socrates’ declaration—“I know that I don’t know”—Ssentongo urged fellow academics and participants to adopt a humble posture toward knowledge, rejecting the arrogance that comes with narrow-mindedness or disciplinary silos.
He addressed the backlash surrounding the event, including accusations of promoting witchcraft, with sharp critique and clarity:
“You don’t have to agree with something to understand it… It’s our unwillingness to engage that empowers ignorance and exploitation—whether in herbal medicine or religion.”
Ssentongo challenged the binary thinking that dominates academia and social discourse, particularly how indigenous knowledge is marginalized through labels like “alternative medicine.”
“That language is not innocent,” he warned. “It has already created the main—the authentic—and the alternative. And we keep building these binaries which are very detrimental to understanding.”
He lamented the politics of knowledge production, pointing out that powerful interests from pharmaceutical companies to religious establishments often dictate what is recognized as legitimate knowledge, thereby stifling critical inquiry into African spiritual and healing practices.
In a moment of warmth and humility, Ssentongo lauded guest speaker Dr. Sekagya for his depth of knowledge and gracious composure, despite being prematurely judged based on appearance:
“We profile people based on what’s already in our minds. When you do that, you build a wall that blocks understanding.”
He closed with gratitude to the organizing teams, university leadership, and the patient audience, reminding all that the session’s six-hour length was testament to the power of curiosity, intellectual freedom, and dialogue.
“The more you know, the more knowledge humbles you,” he said. “And I love humble people—that’s the sign of true education.”
Principal Nkabala Applauds Groundbreaking Dialogue on Truth and Decolonisation
While closing the dialogue, Associate Professor Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), reflected on the boldness of the topic, Prof. Nkabala admitted initial concerns over whether enough publicity had been done for such a sensitive conversation. But her concerns quickly gave way to admiration for the depth and courage of the discussions.
“This is the very reason the college exists,” she said. “We are not afraid of speaking about the things many are afraid to talk about.”
She praised the dialogue for achieving the core mission of the Humanities and Social Sciences: to broaden perspectives, enhance global awareness, and deepen our understanding of human behaviour. With confidence, she noted that all participants—whether in-person or online—had walked away transformed in their thinking.
Prof. Nkabala commended Dr. Sekagya for integrating science with cultural and spiritual frameworks, and Dr. Spire Sentongo for initiating a conversation that challenged binaries and inspired creativity. She mentioned emerging ideas such as “deep green spirituality” and renewed interest in electromagnetics, highlighting how the discussion had sparked innovation beyond the humanities.
“This shows that the conversation we have had has really inspired people—and they are becoming more innovative than they would have wanted,” she remarked.
With gratitude, she acknowledged the CHUSS team, Makerere University management and all participants. Her message was clear: this was not a one-off event, but a starting point in a series of transformative engagements.
“Just watch this space,” she said, promising more impactful dialogues to come.
She then invited Deputy Principal Assoc. Prof. Eric Awich Ochen to offer closing sentiments on behalf of the college, adding a “physical touch” to the collective appreciation for such a powerful and memorable gathering.
One of the Most Impactful Symposiums at Makerere: Deputy Principal Applauds Courageous Dialogue Bridging Humanities and Science
Using a metaphor from astrophysics, Prof. Awich likened human understanding to the work of space telescopes like Hubble, which, despite operating for decades, can only capture a fraction of the vast cosmos.
“Even what the telescope is showing us is less than 1% of what’s out there,” he remarked. “That tells you how little we know—and how much more there is to question, explore, and understand.”
He also offered warm praise to Dr. Sentongo, whose public image as a cartoonist and columnist is matched by a deeply intellectual and humble personal presence. Sentongo, he revealed, is preparing to exhibit new creative work that continues this exploration of truth and identity.
The deputy principal applauded the panelists and especially Dr. Christine Mbabazi Mpyangu, the symposium’s moderator from the Department of Religion and Peace Studies, for guiding the complex conversation with clarity and balance. He described her selection as the “best choice that could ever happen for this symposium.”
Prof. Awich also emphasized how the themes of the day—truth, spirituality, medicine, and the decolonisation of knowledge—are not merely academic curiosities but essential areas of inquiry for understanding African identity, history, and global positioning.
“This is very good for our students,” he said. “It’s humbling, and it’s intellectually nourishing. I have been deeply moved and educated by this dialogue.”
He closed by inviting all participants to “watch this space” for future dialogues that will continue to push intellectual boundaries and make CHUSS a cornerstone of Makerere’s global thought leadership.
“Thank you again for coming. Whether you were here physically or joined us online, we are grateful. And I promise, this is just the beginning.”
A Bold Dialogue on Truth, Decolonisation, and African Knowledge Systems
Dr. Pamela Khanakwa, Dean of the School of Liberal and Performing Arts at Makerere University, called on scholars, students, and the wider public to embrace African epistemologies, challenge colonial legacies, and confront entrenched biases in the understanding of truth and science.
“Why should we fear these conversations?” Dr. Khanakwa asked. “Our dialogue today seeks to interrogate the little understood and often blurred lines between traditional African spirituality, herbal medicine, and witchcraft.”
The she said formed part of Makerere‘s broader initiative to decolonise education and expand the frontiers of knowledge by re-examining the role and validity of indigenous African practices in modern society and a reclamation of African intellectual space
Khanakwa’s address was not merely ceremonial; it was a scholarly critique of how colonial regimes distorted African worldviews and knowledge systems, relegating them to the margins of legitimacy.
“What was African—our indigenous knowledge—was labelled barbaric, primitive, demonic, evil,” she said. “Meanwhile, Western belief systems, especially biomedicine, were centralized as the standard of progress and truth.”
She pointed to laws like Uganda’s Witchcraft Act of 1957 and Zimbabwe’s Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1899 as colonial tools used to criminalize African religious and healing practices, reinforcing the hierarchy between Western science and African spirituality.
These laws, she noted, continue to influence public policy and education, often excluding or diminishing traditional healing and metaphysical systems that millions on the continent continue to rely on.
Blurring the Line Between Science and Spirituality
Dr. Khanakwa challenged the false dichotomy between science and non-science, noting that many African healing practices dismissed as superstition may simply be sciences that remain understudied or misunderstood.
“How about if what we consider witchcraft is actually science which has not yet been unlocked?” she asked, raising the example of traditional bone-setters who reportedly mend fractures remotely—an observation met with nods and murmurs of agreement from the audience.
She also referenced the lingering stigma within academic institutions, sharing a conversation with a colleague in veterinary sciences who was wary of interacting with social scientists because of perceived connections to witchcraft.
“This fear and ridicule are rooted not in reason, but in the colonial devaluation of African knowledge,” Khanakwa explained and called for critical appraisal, not blind reverence.
While deeply rooted in the cultural reclamation agenda, Khanakwa emphasized that the event was not a platform for blind celebration of all traditional practices. Rather, it was a space for critical epistemic appraisal—an honest, analytical exploration of what constitutes truth, and who gets to define it.
“We are not just here to romanticize indigenous knowledge,” she said. “We are here to examine it rigorously, question the boundaries, and reclaim intellectual agency.”
She framed the dialogue as both an academic and civic responsibility, rooted in the liberal arts tradition of open-minded inquiry and debate- a knowledge without borders
In a nod to African communalism, Dr. Khanakwa closed her remarks with an invitation to inclusivity and collective growth:
“In an African house, there is always space for one more. You cannot lock someone out in the rain because you say the house is full.”
The spirit of intellectual hospitality, she argued, must extend to epistemological spaces—where truth is not confined to laboratories or lecture halls in the Global North, but also resides in shrines, herbs, rituals, and oral traditions passed down through generations.
As she welcomed the day’s speakers, Khanakwa reiterated Makerere University’s commitment to being more than an academic institution: a site of African self-discovery, healing, and intellectual sovereignty.
Questioning the Scientific Method and Medical Colonialism
Dickson Kanakulya, Head of the Department of Philosophy at Makerere University, issued a critique of society’s fear of “uncomfortable knowledge” and positioned Makerere as a courageous leader in pushing intellectual frontiers that others fear to approach.
“Makerere is not fearful to explore all aspects of knowledge,” Dr. Kanakulya declared. “That is what has made this institution great—we ask the questions that others are afraid to ask.”
The event—attended by over 2,000 people both in-person and online—was part of a growing series of intellectual forums led by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) that challenge conventional paradigms of science, truth, and African knowledge systems.
Dr. Kanakulya used the platform to interrogate the longstanding hierarchies that have historically labeled indigenous knowledge as superstition or witchcraft. He drew attention to how rituals, symbols, and metaphysical practices in African traditions have been ridiculed, while similar elements in Western religious and scientific institutions are normalized or revered.
“Why is it that when a Pope wears red or conducts elaborate rituals, it’s considered sacred—but when an African elder wears a leopard skin, it’s ‘witchcraft’?” he asked. “What is the psychoanalytic message behind those colors, garments, and rituals?”
Referencing comparative burial rituals—from Vatican ceremonies to the traditional burial of a Omutaka wrapped in over 200 barkclothes—he questioned the global double standards that determine which practices are called ‘holy’ and which are dismissed as irrational.
“We are not just asking religious questions—we are asking epistemological questions: who defines what knowledge is, and who gets excluded?”
Perhaps most provocatively, Dr. Kanakulya challenged blind reliance on what he called the “so-called scientific method,” especially in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 raised a very serious question: does the scientific method work?” he asked. “When the pandemic struck, even our most decorated scientists ran and hid. Vaccines were promised, but not available. And yet, African herbal knowledge—like Professor Ogwang’s COVIDEX—saved lives.”
He praised Ogwang’s use of traditional medicinal knowledge passed down by his mother to develop a treatment that gained national certification and public trust during the health crisis, even while being initially discouraged by the scientific establishment.
Kanakulya described this contradiction as “medical colonialism”—a phenomenon where Western institutions continue to control narratives around health, healing, and legitimacy, despite relying on indigenous knowledge for drug development.
“Over 60% of pharmaceutical drugs have roots in traditional herbal medicine. Yet we are told the version made in the lab is superior to the one made by God. Why?”
Echoing themes from thinkers like Descartes, Richard Rorty, and Albert Einstein, Dr. Kanakulya urged attendees to reconsider the very nature of knowledge and reality. He connected traditional African metaphysics to emerging fields like quantum physics, highlighting how both challenge fixed notions of objectivity and material reality.
“Traditional African science believes that molecules and cells are constantly absorbing information—through light, sound, and energy. That’s what quantum mechanics now confirms,” he explained. “When elders say a stone remembers what happened, and science says DNA remains at crime scenes, are we not talking about the same phenomenon through different lenses?”
He raised challenging philosophical comparisons: summoning a person’s spirit in a water basin vs. seeing their face on a smartphone screen. Both, he argued, deal with unseen connections and transmissions of information. So, which one is called witchcraft—and why?
“The question of witchcraft is a question of epistemology. It’s not just a cultural issue; it’s about how we define reality and truth. It is time to decolonize those definitions.”
Kanakulya also connected philosophical inquiry to policy questions, especially the right to health in African constitutions. He noted that 80% of Africans rely on traditional medicine, yet it remains underfunded, un researched, and stigmatized.
“If the right to health is a human right, then herbal medicine must be mainstreamed,” he said. “We cannot continue to rely on knowledge produced in Western laboratories when we have solutions rooted in our own environment and history.”
Citing rising rates of non-communicable diseases among Africans under 30, he warned that Africa’s future is being shaped by pharmaceutical industries and researchers who are not accountable to local communities.
“They have our DNA in labs. They are designing drugs for African genes. That is medical colonialism. And you think you are free because you raise a flag on Independence Day?”
Dr. Kanakulya concluded with a call to embrace philosophy as a tool for critical inquiry and emancipation.
“Philosophy asks the uncomfortable questions. Are you in love or are you dreaming? Are you alive or are you merely existing under illusions passed down to you?”
He urged the academic community to take seriously African forms of knowledge—including metaphysical and spiritual practices—and to move beyond outdated colonial binaries of science vs. superstition.
“Witchcraft is not just in shrines. It’s in churches, markets, and technology. The real question is not whether it exists—but how we understand it, and what truths we are afraid to see.”
The remarks set a powerful tone for the evening’s dialogue and reinforced the role of the Department of Philosophy as a leading voice in deconstructing knowledge hierarchies at one of Africa’s oldest universities.
Looking Forward
The event has sparked interest in more dialogues exploring spirituality, healing, and knowledge systems. Students and staff reportedly requested future sessions, including modules on electromagnetics in traditional healing and “deep green spirituality.”
As the sun set on Makerere Hill, the session ended not with closure, but with a challenge—one issued implicitly by every speaker and participant: to keep questioning, keep listening, and to rediscover the wisdom that centuries of erasure have tried to silence.
You can access the Public Dialogue, “Traditional Spirituality, Herbal Medicine, Witchcraft and Questions of Truth “ on YouTube Video embedded below.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer CHUSS
Humanities & Social Sciences
Prof. Walakira takes over as CHUSS Deputy Principal, pledges research-driven leadership
New Deputy Principal Prof. Eddy Joshua Walakira has pledged to build on the existing foundations at Makerere University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), with a focus on strengthening research, innovation, partnerships and the college’s income-generating capacity.
Prof. Walakira made the pledge on Monday, September 14, 2026, after officially taking over as Deputy Principal of CHUSS from Associate Prof. Eric Awich Ochen, who completed his four-year tenure after assuming office in April 2022.
The handover ceremony, held at the CHUSS Smart Room, brought together the College Principal, Associate Prof. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, deans, heads of departments, academic, administrative and support staff, as well as representatives from the Directorate of Internal Audit.
Walakira said he was taking over at a time when CHUSS had established a strong foundation and pledged to work with the Principal and staff to take the college to greater heights.
“I’m coming in with a lot of hope, a lot of courage and a lot of optimism because the foundations are already in place and the structures are already in place,” Walakira said.
He said his immediate priority would be to understand the needs of the different schools and departments and develop practical interventions, particularly in research, innovation and partnerships.
The incoming Deputy Principal said he intends to undertake a tour of CHUSS schools and departments to assess their research, innovation and partnership needs. said the exercise would help management identify existing capacities, gaps and opportunities that could be developed into practical plans for the college.
“My thinking is that we are going to form the best team ever that has led CHUSS,” he said, stressing that the college has the human and institutional capacity to become a leading unit within the University.
Walakira said CHUSS should make greater use of the networks and partnerships already established by its academic units, arguing that these could provide opportunities for research collaboration, innovation and resource mobilisation.
He also challenged departments that have faced long-standing equipment shortages to explore sustainable solutions rather than relying entirely on external funding.
“If the Department of Journalism for the last 20 years is still crying about equipment, I don’t think that is a good song. There must be a way out from within,” Walakira said. He pledged to work closely with Principal Nambalirwa Nkabala and other college leaders to identify opportunities for strengthening research capacity, publication and partnerships.
Walakira pledges loyal and collaborative leadership
Walakira pledged to work closely with the Principal, deans, heads of departments and staff while respecting University policies and structures. He said his leadership approach would be based on humility, consultation and practical problem-solving.
“My pledge, first of all, is to be loyal and humble to my boss and, above all, to serve in the fear of the Most High and to respect the rules, the principles and the structures of the University,” he said.
Walakira said he would seek to strengthen existing research groups and explore opportunities for the college to generate more resources internally. He urged staff to embrace a collective vision and work together to address challenges facing the college.
He expressed confidence that CHUSS could become a leading college within Makerere University if its existing human resource and institutional capacity were effectively harnessed.
“We have people who can work in leadership, but we have to develop a collective vision. We have to respect and accept the capabilities that we have, and also accept to work together to address the challenges that confront us,” he said.
Assoc. Prof. Ochen highlights four years of academic and research gains
In his handover report, outgoing Deputy Principal Prof. Eric Awich Ochen highlighted progress made during his four-year tenure, including improvements in teaching and learning, academic programme development, research, internationalisation, staff capacity building and digitalisation.
Ochen said he assumed office in April 2022, in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and worked under two College Principals—Prof. Josephine Ahikire and Associate Prof. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala.
He attributed the achievements recorded during his tenure to collective efforts by the Principal, deans, heads of departments and staff.
“Whatever I did in the office of the Deputy Principal for the last four years has been in the best interest of the students. I tried to act in good faith,” Ochen said.
He acknowledged that leadership involves mistakes and said one of his major lessons had been the importance of consultation before making decisions.
Ochen advised his successor to maintain close consultation with the Principal, particularly when dealing with issues requiring clarification.
Ochen reported that the college had developed and revised several academic programmes during his tenure, including postgraduate programmes in French language studies, African languages and anthropology.
He said several existing programmes had also undergone accreditation and urged deans and heads of departments to begin preparations early for programmes due for re-accreditation.
He warned that delays in accreditation could disrupt student admissions and programme delivery, citing previous cases where some programmes were temporarily affected.
The outgoing Deputy Principal also highlighted efforts to revive and establish scholarly journals within CHUSS, including journals in history, peace, humanities, literature and communication.
He called for greater regularity in journal publication and continued digitisation to improve the visibility and accessibility of the college’s scholarly output.
Ochen said CHUSS had also made progress in modernising teaching and learning through the adoption of digital academic management systems.
He noted that staff had transitioned from the Academic Information Management System to ACMIS for the management and uploading of students’ results.
Timetable coordinators had also been trained to upload teaching timetables and workloads electronically.
The college also installed smart interactive screens in several lecture rooms, which Ochen said had improved the teaching environment and supported blended learning.
He urged the incoming leadership to continue investing in digital infrastructure, particularly for smaller postgraduate teaching spaces.
Ochen reported that CHUSS had significantly expanded its research and grants portfolio, with the college managing grants estimated at about US$12 million.
He attributed the growth partly to the development of research groups across departments and encouraged the new leadership to strengthen these groups to increase grant applications and scholarly publications.
“I believe in the last four years we have grown as a college. I think we have quite a higher portfolio of grants,” Ochen said.
He also cited numerous conferences, public lectures and international academic events as having contributed to CHUSS’s visibility nationally and internationally.
These included philosophy events, social work conferences, peace-related events, language celebrations, history and climate-migration conferences and other scholarly engagements.
Ochen said CHUSS had expanded its international collaborations through mobility programmes, academic partnerships and international conferences.
He pointed to Erasmus+ programmes and other collaborations involving universities in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
He also highlighted the Rotary Peace Centre and its growing international student community as important contributors to the college and University’s internationalisation agenda.
Despite the progress, Ochen identified inadequate equipment, particularly in journalism and multimedia production, as one of the challenges requiring attention.
He also cited concerns around support for staff supervising students, marking dissertations and other academic work, as well as the need to better recognise academic work conducted outside normal university hours.
He urged the incoming leadership to continue engaging staff and seeking practical solutions to these challenges.
Leadership transition will not disrupt CHUSS
Principal Associate Prof. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala thanked Ochen for his service and said the transition would not destabilise the college.
She described Ochen as a committed colleague whose passion, energy and humility had contributed to the college’s progress.
Nambalirwa said the college was entering a new phase under Walakira, whose appointment comes as CHUSS implements its strategic priorities.
She said the college’s newly developed strategic plan provides a framework for advancing research, social protection, innovation, partnerships and other institutional priorities.
“We are very ambitious. We are hoping that we shall get a lot of wealth. For this college to move further, we are moving with stability,” Nambalirwa said.
The Principal also urged staff to continue supporting the new Deputy Principal as they had supported Ochen.
“Please, support that you have given Professor Ochen should be extended to Professor Walakira, because service is only fun when you have all your hands,” she said.
Staff commend Ochen, welcome Walakira
Staff members who spoke during the ceremony commended Ochen for his leadership and commitment to students while welcoming Walakira to the new role.
Mr. Gidange Moses from the Directorate of Internal Audit praised the Principal for nurturing staff and creating opportunities for them to take up leadership responsibilities.
He commended Ochen for completing his tenure and urged Walakira to embrace the responsibility of leading the college alongside the Principal.
Dr. Charlotte Mafumbo, Head of the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies, described Ochen as a passionate leader and thanked him for his contribution to the college.
She pledged the department’s support to the incoming Deputy Principal.
Dr. Denis Muhangi, Head of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, representing the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, praised Ochen for his resilience in following up decisions and his commitment to student welfare.
He assured Walakira of the school’s support as he takes on his new responsibilities.
Maria Gyezaho, from the Principal’s office, also thanked Ochen for his guidance and leadership, saying the skills he had imparted to staff would continue to benefit them.
The handover formally marked the end of Ochen’s tenure as Deputy Principal and the beginning of Walakira’s term, with the college leadership calling on staff to maintain the momentum achieved over the previous four years while pursuing new opportunities for growth.
For details about Prof. Eddy Joshua Walakira, please click on the link below:
https://chuss.mak.ac.ug/en/personnel/eddy-joshua-walakira/
Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer CHUSS
Humanities & Social Sciences
Makerere Probes Climate Change–Migration Links: Calls for Protective Policies for Vulnerable Communities
A three-day workshop examining the historical relationship between climate change and migration in Uganda has opened at Makerere University, bringing together academics, government officials, refugee-community representatives and postgraduate students to examine how environmental and climate factors have shaped population movements across the country’s history.
The workshop, running from September 8 to 10, 2026, is hosted by the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies in the School of Liberal and Performing Arts under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS).
The event is being held under a joint project between Makerere University and the University of Cambridge on the Histories of Climate and Migration in Uganda.
The project is funded by the Mastercard Foundation’s Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund in partnership with the Cambridge Africa Programme at the University of Cambridge. It has received a grant of £49,800 and seeks to expand knowledge on how environmental and climate factors have influenced Uganda’s long history of migration, both in recent times and in the deeper historical past.
The workshop has attracted officials from government ministries and agencies, principal and co-principal investigators, heads of departments from CHUSS and other colleges, senior academics and professors, organisations working with refugees, refugee-community members serving as change agents and CHUSS graduate students.
Over the three days, participants are expected to consider 32 research papers and three keynote addresses, alongside roundtable discussions and a field visit to the Uganda National Archives.
Keynote speaker Anthony Mugeere calls for climate-migration policies that protect vulnerable communities
Uganda needs to rethink its policies on migration by recognising climate change as a growing factor influencing where, when and why people move, Dr. Anthony Mugeere, a sociologist and climate policy researcher, has said.
Mugeere made the call while delivering a keynote address on Climate and Migration in Uganda .
Mugeere argued that migration should not automatically be interpreted as a crisis or solely as a consequence of climate change because movement has historically been one of the ways communities respond and adapt to changing environmental and economic circumstances.
He challenged researchers to examine whether people who leave their homes because of failed rains, floods, disappearing crops or scarcity of pasture are necessarily being displaced, or whether their movement can also constitute an adaptation strategy.
“Migration is not simply a consequence of climate change,” Mugeere said, arguing that mobility can also be a way through which households respond to climate stress.
Mugeere said climate has always influenced where and how communities live and move, although the environmental dimension was not always explicitly recognised in earlier explanations of migration.
He said traditional explanations of historical migration often focused on wars, tribal conflicts, the search for land, cattle, women, slaves and other social or political factors, without adequately considering environmental pressures.
According to Mugeere, a historical examination of migration reveals that movement was often connected to access to water, pasture, fertile land and other environmental resources.
He cited pastoral communities that moved in search of water and pasture and agricultural communities that moved in response to land and environmental conditions.
Fishing communities, he added, have historically developed around lakes, while trade routes and settlements have also been influenced by patterns of human mobility.
He said factors such as epidemics, famine, environmental changes and the availability of resources have long contributed to population movements.
Mugeere argued that contemporary research therefore needs to connect historical migration patterns with the changing climate rather than treating climate-induced migration as an entirely new phenomenon.
Mugeere cited landslides and flooding in Bududa as examples of how climate and environmental conditions are altering the circumstances under which people move.
He also pointed to rising water levels in Lake Victoria and other water bodies as factors that have displaced communities and changed settlement patterns.
Drought, livestock losses, flooding, landslides and rising water levels, he said, are among the environmental pressures that can force people to leave places they have traditionally occupied.
He warned that some forms of movement may easily be overlooked because they do not fit conventional definitions of migration.
These include temporary movement, rural-to-urban migration and movement by communities seeking alternative livelihoods when agricultural production becomes increasingly difficult.
Mugeere said the increasing movement of Ugandans to cities and abroad, including to the Gulf region, should also be examined against a broader range of economic, social and environmental factors.
The sociologist said migration can provide important benefits to households affected by climate stress.
People who move can diversify household income, reduce exposure to climate-related risks, access employment and send remittances back to their families.
Migration can also help households recover from shocks and strengthen their resilience, particularly when migrants find employment and are able to support relatives who remain behind.
However, Mugeere cautioned that migration can also create serious social and economic challenges.
He identified social disruption, vulnerability, difficulties with integration, exploitation, overcrowding and pressure on host communities among the potential consequences of climate-induced movement.
He particularly highlighted the pressure placed on resources in areas hosting refugees, noting that receiving communities can experience additional demands on land, firewood and other natural resources.
This, he said, creates a need for better planning to ensure that both displaced populations and host communities can access essential services and resources.
Mugeere called for climate change, mitigation and adaptation to be incorporated into government programmes and policies dealing with livelihoods and migration.
He said programmes such as the Parish Development Model would struggle to achieve their intended objectives if they do not take climate-related risks into account.
He also urged policymakers to consider migration as part of Uganda’s adaptation strategies rather than treating every movement as a failure or emergency.
The researcher said Uganda must prepare both people who move and communities that receive them.
He noted that Uganda has a strong record of hosting refugees from neighbouring countries but questioned whether the country is sufficiently prepared to provide services and support to growing populations in receiving communities.
He also called for policies that protect people who may be unable to migrate, including persons with disabilities, women and young people.
According to Mugeere, these groups must be incorporated into planning for climate-related migration because not everyone has the ability or resources to move when environmental conditions deteriorate.
Mugeere further called for comprehensive planning when communities are relocated from areas exposed to disasters.
He cited communities affected by landslides and flooding, arguing that relocation should not simply involve moving people from dangerous locations to safer areas without planning for their long-term livelihoods and social needs.
He said policymakers should consider rehabilitation, awareness, settlement, access to services and livelihood opportunities as part of relocation programmes.
Mugeere argued that the contribution of social scientists extends beyond academic research because disciplines such as sociology, history and social work can provide evidence to guide policy and programme management.
In his concluding message, Mugeere said climate change should be understood as a force that is transforming the geography of opportunity, risk and human mobility.
“Climate change does not simply change Uganda’s climate. It changes the geography of opportunity, risk, and human mobility,” he said.
He urged researchers to adopt a human-centred approach that considers how individuals and communities perceive climate risks and how those perceptions influence decisions to remain, move or adapt.
He also stressed that Uganda’s history demonstrates that mobility is not new and has long been part of how communities respond to livelihood opportunities and changing circumstances.
However, he warned that climate change is intensifying these pressures and will increasingly affect poverty, land, infrastructure, urbanisation and governance.
Mugeere said Uganda’s preparedness for climate-related disasters must therefore be questioned despite the existence of government ministries, budgets, teams and equipment.
He observed that the country often discovers gaps in preparedness only when disasters occur, underscoring the need for proactive planning before climate-related displacement reaches crisis levels.
Historians must trace the roots of climate-related migration
Dr. Charlotte Mafumbo, Head of the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies, said the workshop provides an opportunity for historians and other scholars to critically examine two interconnected global challenges—climate change and migration—and understand how they have evolved over time.
Mafumbo said the scale of displacement globally makes historical research on migration increasingly important, noting that people have been forced to move for different reasons, including war, ethnicity, political and international complications and environmental pressures.
She referred to estimates that about 250 million people were displaced during and around the period of the Second World War, with some forced into settlements, deported, imprisoned or driven from their homes because of their ethnicity or other circumstances.
She said the world is now witnessing another major displacement challenge associated with climate change, with an estimated 112 million displaced people affected by climate-related pressures.
Mafumbo argued that the current situation requires historians to go back into the past and establish when and how climate-related migration emerged, how it has manifested itself and whether there are similarities or differences between historical and contemporary patterns.
“There is no better time than now for us to reflect on these issues,” Mafumbo said.
She said the workshop should go beyond presentations and academic debate by encouraging participants to establish partnerships that can continue after the event.
Mafumbo encouraged participants to exchange contacts and develop collaborations, particularly because the three-day programme may not provide enough time to exhaust the issues under discussion.
She also said the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies is committed to ensuring that the research and discussions produce practical outcomes for government and other stakeholders.
According to Mafumbo, the department hopes the workshop will generate key talking points that can be shared with relevant ministries and contribute to the development of policy briefs.
“We do hope that out of the workshop, we shall have some talking points we shall be sharing with the relevant ministries after here,” she said.
She welcomed keynote speakers, officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment and the Office of the Prime Minister, as well as other participants, to the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies, the School of Liberal and Performing Arts and CHUSS.
Research project links academics with refugee communities
Dr. Pamela Khanakwa, Dean of the School of Liberal and Performing Arts and a Principal Investigator on the project, said the initiative was made possible through the support of Makerere University and Cambridge, with the project housed in the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies.
She thanked the department and CHUSS leadership, as well as the university’s Directorate of Legal Affairs and the Office of the Vice Chancellor, for their support in making the project possible.
Khanakwa also used her remarks to recognise Professor Asiimwe Godfrey, whom she described as an important figure in her intellectual development dating back to her undergraduate years.
She recounted her longstanding academic relationship with Dr. Samuel Meyerson, the project’s Cambridge-based Principal Investigator, explaining that she first encountered him as one of the students she supervised at Makerere.
She said their relationship subsequently developed from a student-supervisor relationship into an academic collaboration, eventually leading to the current project.
Khanakwa recalled assisting Meyerson with applications for PhD study in the United States, including submitting one recommendation letter at the last minute while travelling through Atlanta.
She said Meyerson later continued his research on Karamoja, including through his master’s research, which she described as an extensive study.
Their collaboration continued when Meyerson participated in a 2022 Humanities International Conference at Makerere University, where he presented research in the same room in which the current workshop is being held.
Khanakwa said Meyerson eventually returned with the idea of developing a collaborative project, choosing to approach Makerere’s Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies to develop the proposal.
“It started like a small conversation, small ideas, but we put our efforts together and we are able to be where we are today,” Khanakwa said.
She credited co-principal investigators Dr. Charlotte Mafumbo and Dr. Edgar Taylor for their contribution to shaping the project, while also praising administrative staff Duncan Muhanguzi and Esther Namitala for handling budgeting, communication and logistical preparations.
Khanakwa said the project is designed to bring together researchers from different disciplines and members of refugee communities in Uganda.
She explained that its focus is not limited to recent climate-related migration but also examines the deeper historical relationship between environmental conditions and migration.
The project is expected to run through March or April next year and contains several components, including the three-day workshop and a seed-funding programme.
Under the seed-funding component, five graduate students have each received £2,000 to conduct empirical research with a historical orientation. Three additional grants have been awarded to researchers from refugee communities.
Khanakwa said the seed funding was intended to expand the range of voices and evidence informing research on climate and migration, while also giving graduate students and refugee researchers an opportunity to contribute directly to knowledge production.
She noted that securing research funding is highly competitive and said the £49,800 grant was an achievement that should be recognised, while clarifying that the entire amount would not be spent on the workshop.
Khanakwa said discussions during the workshop should contribute to intellectual debates while also producing ideas that could have practical value and inform policy.
“We hope that we can be able to come up with very meaningful discussions that can inform not only intellectual debates, but also ideas that can be of great value in practical terms and perhaps also in ways that they can inform policy,” she said.
She urged participants to make full use of the workshop to exchange ideas and develop collaborations that can continue beyond the three-day event.
Refugee voices central to understanding migration history
Dr. Samuel Meyerson, a Research Fellow in History at the University of Cambridge and Principal Investigator of the project, said the objectives of the initiative had already been clearly outlined by the other speakers, allowing him to focus on welcoming participants and acknowledging those who made the workshop possible.
Meyerson, who is a former student of Makerere University’s Department of History, said he was particularly pleased to return to the institution as a researcher and project leader.
He extended a special welcome to participants from Nakivale Refugee Settlement, saying their involvement was important because the project seeks to incorporate perspectives from refugee communities into discussions about migration.
“We very much appreciate you coming all this way to contribute your perspectives to the workshop,” Meyerson said.
Meyerson acknowledged the support of the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund, managed jointly by the Mastercard Foundation and the University of Cambridge, which is financing the project.
He thanked his fellow Principal Investigator, Dr. Pamela Khanakwa, as well as co-principal investigators Dr. Charlotte Mafumbo and Dr. Edgar Taylor, for helping transform the initial idea for a collaborative project into the workshop.
According to Meyerson, the idea began as a relatively undeveloped concept that he brought to his Makerere colleagues in October last year before the partners worked together to develop it into the current research project.
He also praised the administrative team of Duncan Muhanguzi and Esther Namitala for their work in handling the numerous logistical details required to organise the workshop.
Meyerson further recognised administrative personnel at both Cambridge and Makerere universities whose time and expertise contributed to bringing the event together.
He also highlighted the role of the refugee researchers and Makerere postgraduate students who successfully applied for the project’s seed-funding grants.
Meyerson said members of the selection committee were impressed by the quality of the applications and expected the supported research to generate new evidence and perspectives on climate and migration.
“We, as the members of the selection committee, were deeply impressed by these applications and we all greatly look forward to the insights that your projects will yield,” he said.
The workshop is expected to provide a platform for sustained discussion between academics, policymakers, researchers and communities affected by migration.
Through presentations, keynote addresses, roundtable discussions, seed-funded research and engagement with archival materials at the Uganda National Archives, the organisers hope to deepen understanding of the historical forces behind migration and the role environmental and climate factors have played in shaping population movements in Uganda.
Climate-migration research strengthens Makerere’s global academic partnerships
CHUSS welcomed a new research project examining the historical links between climate change and migration, describing the initiative as an opportunity to strengthen interdisciplinary scholarship and connect academic research with the experiences of refugee communities.
Speaking on behalf of the CHUSS Principal, Associate Professor Eric Awich Ochen said climate change is an issue that increasingly affects everyday life and requires sustained research and collaboration.
Ochen said the Principal was unable to attend the workshop because of other commitments and had sent him to represent her and convey her greetings to participants.
He described CHUSS as the largest college at Makerere University, with more than 225 full-time academic staff and close to 300 staff when support personnel are included.
He said the college makes a significant contribution to the university through its humanities, liberal arts, social sciences, performing arts and other academic programmes.
Ochen defended the importance of the humanities and social sciences in understanding complex social challenges, saying the disciplines are essential to understanding how human beings respond to changes in their environment and society.
He highlighted the College’s Department of Performing Arts and Film and the School of Liberal and Performing Arts, where history and other disciplines contribute to academic and cultural development.
He said Makerere-trained artists and scholars have contributed to Uganda and beyond, demonstrating the wider contribution of humanities and social sciences to society.
“The liberal arts, the humanities and social sciences are very important for us human beings,” Ochen said.
He praised the keynote speaker, Dr. Anthony Mugeere, describing him as a scholar with a distinctive sense of humour and resilience, while also welcoming participants to the workshop.
Ochen said the research project is important because it examines environmental and climate factors that have influenced Uganda’s long history of migration, both in recent times and in the deeper historical past.
He thanked Dr. Pamela Khanakwa and Dr. Samuel Meyerson for developing the project and noted that although the current project is relatively short, the researchers are already exploring ways of expanding it to create further learning around climate and migration.
The project brings together scholars from multiple disciplines as well as members of refugee communities in Uganda.Ochen said the inclusion of refugee communities was particularly significant because it allows research to incorporate experiences and perspectives from people directly affected by migration.
He also welcomed the project’s collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation’s Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund and the Cambridge Africa Programme at the University of Cambridge.
Ochen outlined the longstanding relationship between Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation, noting that the Foundation has supported several major initiatives at the university.He said one of the major programmes has provided scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and has increasingly extended opportunities to graduate students.
He noted that members of refugee communities have also benefited from the opportunities created through the partnership.
Ochen also highlighted the African Climate Collaborative, another Mastercard Foundation-supported initiative focused on climate change and advanced academic training.
He said the programme is expected to support the training of up to 200 PhD researchers over a 10-year period through the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
He encouraged possible collaboration between the Histories of Climate and Migration project and other climate-focused initiatives supported by the Foundation.
Ochen said Mastercard Foundation had continued to demonstrate its commitment to supporting African universities and research.
Ochen also traced the long-standing relationship between Makerere University and the University of Cambridge, saying the partnership has involved both institutional cooperation and individual research collaborations.
He cited his own experience at Cambridge, where he spent time at the Centre of African Studies under the Cambridge Africa Programme. He said the experience enabled him and other Makerere academics to establish relationships with researchers at Cambridge and other institutions.
Ochen also mentioned his continued research collaboration with Professor Adam Branch, an academic at Cambridge who has an affiliation with Makerere University.He said the existing relationships provide a foundation for further cooperation between Makerere, Cambridge and other African universities.
Ochen said the climate and migration project demonstrates Makerere University’s position as a leader in interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences. He said the research has the potential to generate knowledge that will be useful not only in Uganda but also to scholars and policymakers across East Africa and internationally.
The project, he noted, brings together Makerere University, the University of Cambridge and the Mastercard Foundation in a collaboration that links academic research with community experiences. He said the project’s focus on climate, migration and history was particularly relevant because environmental change is increasingly affecting communities and patterns of human mobility.
Ochen applauded the project’s seed-funding component, which provides research grants to Makerere postgraduate students and members of refugee communities. Under the programme, five postgraduate students and three members of refugee communities are expected to receive funding to undertake independent, historically oriented research.
He said the initiative would help empower emerging researchers while ensuring that refugee communities participate in knowledge production rather than simply being subjects of research.
“By empowering both Makerere postgraduate students and refugees to conduct independent research and share their ideas, this project bridges the gaps between academic knowledge production and grassroots concerns,” Ochen said.
The funded researchers are expected to conduct their studies between the workshop and February 2027. Ochen said the findings are expected to contribute to a special issue of the Makerere Historical Journal, which he described as an increasingly vibrant platform for historical scholarship. He said publication of the research would provide an opportunity to preserve and share new knowledge emerging from the project while extending the impact of the workshop beyond its three-day programme.
Ochen concluded by thanking the organisers and encouraging continued collaboration among Makerere University, Cambridge, the Mastercard Foundation, researchers and refugee communities. He said partnerships of this nature are important for generating research that is academically rigorous while remaining relevant to communities and policymakers.
By Jane Anyango, Peninah Nalubega and Joseph Buwule
Humanities & Social Sciences
Dr. Olive Lomokol Receives Honorable Mention for the Lynne Rienner Award for Best Dissertation in African Politics, 2026
The Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) is delighted to announce that MISR Postdoctoral Fellow, Olive Lomokol, has received an Honorable Mention for the prestigious Lynne Rienner Award for Best Dissertation in African Politics, 2026.
Awarded by the African Politics Conference Group (APCG) at the American Political Science Association (APSA), the Lynne Rienner Award is one of the leading international prizes that recognizes outstanding scholarship in African politics. The award carries a prize and honors work that makes a significant contribution to the field. Olive was recognized for her dissertation titled, “Shifting Perspectives on ‘Pastoral’ Violence: The Persistence of the ‘Karamoja Problem’ in Uganda” completed at the Makerere Institute of Social Research, Makerere University, 2026.
Her study offers a critical re-examination of the long-standing construction of the ‘Karamoja Problem’ in Uganda, interrogating how narratives of ‘pastoral’ violence have been produced, sustained, and deployed within colonial and post-colonial statecraft. By shifting perspective from a predominantly security lens to a historical and political one, the dissertation contributes to broader scholarly debates on the state, violence, and marginality in contemporary Africa.
Congratulations to Dr. Lomokol on this remarkable academic achievement and recognition.
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